Johannesburg. President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night thanked South Africans for their role in hosting the G20 process, and placed particular emphasis on the contribution of host cities — including Johannesburg, which hosted the Leaders’ Summit.
Ramaphosa said tens of thousands of delegates attended more than 130 meetings across the country during South Africa’s G20 Presidency, and that Johannesburg hosted the Leaders’ Summit. He thanked mayors, councillors and municipal workers who prepared the host cities for visitors, “particularly in Johannesburg, which hosted the Leaders’ Summit.”
The President said the host cities “showed what can be done when a concerted and coordinated effort is made to fix potholes and street lights, to clean up our streets and maintain our infrastructure.” He urged that those efforts “must continue past the G20 and must be expanded to areas of our towns and cities that have been neglected.”
Ramaphosa thanked security services for ensuring G20 events took place “without incident,” and thanked businesses, hotels, conference centres, restaurants and tourist sites that welcomed visitors to the cities. He also acknowledged residents inconvenienced by road closures and other disruptions, apologised for any difficulties, and thanked the public for their patience.
The President noted international reactions to the G20, quoting leaders and delegates who praised South Africa’s hospitality and the welcoming nature of the people. He specifically referenced praise from global figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Managing Director of the IMF, and said delegates had described the warmth and hospitality they experienced.
Ramaphosa emphasised that South Africa put Africa’s growth and development at the heart of the G20 agenda and listed outcomes relevant to cities and the country, including agreements on debt-relief mechanisms, increased funding for climate action and support for beneficiation of critical minerals.
He also addressed the absence of the United States from the Leaders’ Summit, calling the reasons given for non-participation “baseless and false allegations” and describing the statements as misinformation. Ramaphosa affirmed that South Africa is a founding member of the G20 and will continue to participate “as a full, active and constructive member of the G20.”
Finally, Ramaphosa said the G20 Presidency’s success reflected the “strength of our values, the generosity of our people and the power of what we can achieve when we work together,” and thanked Johannesburg residents and workers for their contribution.